Saratoga Snacks Scores First Stakes Win in Alex M. Robb

Favored Saratoga Snacks scored his first stakes victory Wednesday at Aqueduct Racetrack, leading every step to beat Socialsaul by a length in the $75,000 Alex M. Robb for New York-breds.

The 3-year-old son of Tale of the Cat, owned by Bill Parcells’ August Dawn Farm, was away quickly under jockey Ramon Dominguez, setting fractions of 24.53 and 49.25 while fending off early pressure from Saginaw on the backside. Challenged again on the far turn, Saratoga Snacks pulled clear approaching the quarter pole and had plenty left to repel the late run from 27-1 Socialsaul.

His time for 1 1/16 miles was 1:45.21.

“[Saratoga Snacks] was pressed a little bit, but he doesn’t mind,” said Dominguez, who returned to riding Wednesday following a month-long break to recuperate from a bruised foot. “He’s a horse who never seems to get tired. He handles himself so well. When the other horse was coming to him [in the stretch] I had a pretty good view on the big screen television [in the infield] and I knew I didn’t need to ask him.”

The 4-5 favorite, Saratoga Snacks returned $3.70 for a $2 win bet. The victory was his fourth in five starts this year and first in a stakes, having finished second to Lunar Victory in the $250,000 Empire Classic in October at Belmont Park last time out. Overall, he is 5-2-0 from seven career starts with earnings of $244,600.

“He may get a vacation now; we’ll see,” said trainer Gary Sciacca of Saratoga Snacks, who also owns victories in a pair of allowance races and an optional claimer this year. “He’s done everything right for us.”

Saginaw, who was bidding for his 11th win of 2012, finished third, 11 ¾ lengths back, followed by Idle American and Swag Daddy.